Creeper-plate



W. PETRAUSKAS.

CBEEPER PLATE. APPLICATION HIP" AUG-2.1919.

1,335,387. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.,

.P 1 u, 1W "I 2 l zL William Petr uskas L 1 UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

WILLIAM PETRAUSKAS, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TOJOSEPH TARASEVICZIA, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CREEPER-PLATE.

Application filed August 2, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PETRAUSKAS, a citizen of Russia, residing atBaltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Creeper- Plates, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has for its object the pro vision of means applicable tothe heels of shoes whereby the weareris prevented from slipping upon icyor other treacherousl y slippery surfaces.

A further object is to provide such means in forms which may be readilyattached or detached from the heel of the shoe without disfiguring ordamaging the same.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the spur elements ofthe creeper plates may be extended or retracted in an expeditious mannerso as to avoid damaging the spurs or defacing the surface troddeu upon.

These and other like objects are attained by the novel construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described, and shown in theaccompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure, andin which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view and sectional view showinga fragment of a conventional type of shoe, parts being broken away andindicating the application of the invention, the section being taken online 1 -1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional. View being taken substantially on line 22 of Fig.1, and

Fi 3 is a bottom plan view of the assembled device in detail.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

numeral 10 designates the counter of a c0nventional type of shoe,merging into the instep portion 11, and the rigidly attache-d heel 12,engaged with the shoe as usual, the same being formed with a pluralityof disks or layers of leather or like material.

Surrounding the lower portion of the heel 12 is a casing comprised of anarcuate rear element 14, engaged by a pair of oppositely disposed hinges15, with parallel side casings 16 and 17, similar in cross section tothe rear element 14, the casing 16 having an angularly turned terminal18, while the op posite casing has an angularly turned ele-Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mal-30,1920.

Serial No. 014,902.

ment 19, shorter in length, while the element 18 extends past the centerof the heel. A pair of spurs 20 are formed by shearing and bending thematerial at the upper T 3 portion of the arcuate element 14, other spurs21 extend ng inward from theside elements16 and 17, these spurs enteringinto the layers of the heel which rests upon inwardly extending flanges22, 23 and 24 formed respectively with casing elements 14, 16 an'd'17.

' A lug 25 extends centrally inward from the flange- 22 and pivotedthereon, by the rivet 26, is a lever 27, its free end containing anundercut recess 28, having beveled front 29 engageable in the manner ofa hook by avertical'latch 30, pivoted on anex tension 81, formed in aninturned bottom projection from the element 18 at the center, theprojection being further extended and turned vertically upward forming alug 33 against which abuts a coiled compression spring 34 by which thelatch 30 is normally held in an engaging position, and carried by thelatch 30 is a stem 35, provided with an actuating head 36.

A clip 37 held by rivets 38 to the inturned casing elements 19, acts asa latch to hold the side elements 16 and 17 in close relation after theyhave been assembled upon the heel of the shoe.

A pair of rolled angular plates presenting elements 38 and 39 carryingat their ends pins 40, are engaged in the side portions of the casingelements so. as to rotate therein, the angular element 38 being providedwith a plurality of sharp teeth 41, adapted to engage with the surfacetrodden upon, and are held in operative position by contact with thesurface of the angular element 39 against the lever 27 when the same isdisposed centrally of the casing whereby the spur carrying elements areprevented from turning.

In order however to allow the spur elements to be turned so that thespurs 41 are horizontal, the sharp angle formed at the intersection isremoved, as at 42, so that when the lever 27 is released from the latch30 and turned to one side, as shown in the broken line in Fig. 2, theangular plates may be rotated upon the axis 40 into either positiondesired.

If it is desired to remove the creeper the clip 37 is operatedpermitting the side elements 16 and 17 to turn upon the hinges 15,withdrawing the spurs 20 and 21 and permitting the device to be removedintact from the heel.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure'by Letters Patent, is

1. In a creeper plate, the combination with an arcuate casing adapted topartially surround the heel of a shoe, side elements hingedly engagedtherewith adapted to engage with the front of a heel, spurs formedinteriorly of said elements engageable with the heel layers, a pair ofangular elements pivoted between said side members, spurs on one of theedges of each angular element, and means for holding said spurredelements in an extended or retracted position.

2. In a creeper plate, the combination with a casing adapted to surroundthe heel of a shoe, and means formed therewith engageable with thematerial of the heel, of a lever pivoted in said casing below the heelat the rear thereof, means for engaging said lever at the front of thecasing whereby it is held in a rigid position, a plurality oftransversely disposed elements having angular faces, and spur teethformed upon the edges of one of said faces, said angular elementscontaining recesses permitting them to be rotated when said lever ismoved into a certain position.

3. In a creeper plate, the combination with an arcuate metallic casingadapted to surround the. rear portion of the heel of a shoe, angularelements engaged by hinges with said arcuate elements adapted to makecontact with the front and sides of the heel, a lever pivoted at thecenter of said arcuate element and extending toward the front, means forlocking said lever when in a central position, means for releasing saidlever whereby it may be turned at an angle, a plurality of angle platespivotally positioned between the sides of said casing in such mannerthat one of their faces makes contact with said lever, means formed withsaid angular plates permitting them to be rotated when said lever is inan angular position, and spurs formed upon one edge of each of saidangle plates.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

WILLIAM PETRAUSKAS.

